Difference between revisions of "Mizmor 19: Proclaiming God's Glory/2"
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<category>Anti Pagan Polemic | <category>Anti Pagan Polemic | ||
<p>The psalm is a tacit polemic against sun-worshippers, emphasizing that the sun is not a deity, but rather subservient to Hashem, the God of truth and justice.</p> | <p>The psalm is a tacit polemic against sun-worshippers, emphasizing that the sun is not a deity, but rather subservient to Hashem, the God of truth and justice.</p> | ||
| − | <mekorot>N. Sarna<fn>See N. Sarna, "The Excellence of Torah: An Anti Pagan Polemic", in: On the Book of Psalms (New York, 1993), 70-96.</fn></mekorot> | + | <mekorot>Prof. N. Sarna<fn>See N. Sarna, "The Excellence of Torah: An Anti Pagan Polemic", in: On the Book of Psalms (New York, 1993), 70-96.</fn></mekorot> |
<point><b>Centrality of the sun</b></point> | <point><b>Centrality of the sun</b></point> | ||
<point><b>The heavens proclaim Hashem's praise</b> – The psalm opens by stating that the heavens praise Hashem to make it clear that the heavens, and all therein, are subservient to Hashem.  They are not gods to be worshiped, but rather subjects of the only God, Hashem.</point> | <point><b>The heavens proclaim Hashem's praise</b> – The psalm opens by stating that the heavens praise Hashem to make it clear that the heavens, and all therein, are subservient to Hashem.  They are not gods to be worshiped, but rather subjects of the only God, Hashem.</point> | ||
| − | <point><b>" | + | <point><b>"לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ שָׂם אֹהֶל בָּהֶם"</b> – The verse states that Hashem makes a tent for the sun, highlighting that it is under God's control and subject to His desires and demands..</point> |
| + | <point><b>"וְאֵין נִסְתָּר מֵחַמָּתוֹ"</b> – Prof. Sarna understands "חַמָּתוֹ" to mean: "His sun," with the verse stressing that the sun belongs to God.</point> | ||
| + | <point><b>Allusions to pagan mythology</b> – Prof. Sarna suggests that several of the images in the psalm were chosen to allude to pagan mythology:<br/> | ||
| + | <ul> | ||
| + | <li> כְּחָתָן יֹצֵא מֵחֻפָּתוֹ – </li> | ||
| + | </ul></point> | ||
<point><b>"Like a mighty warrior"</b></point> | <point><b>"Like a mighty warrior"</b></point> | ||
| − | |||
<point><b>Connection between the two halves</b></point> | <point><b>Connection between the two halves</b></point> | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
Version as of 13:18, 13 May 2024
Mizmor 19: Proclaiming God's Glory
Exegetical Approaches
Hymn in Praise of God
The psalm
Anti Pagan Polemic
The psalm is a tacit polemic against sun-worshippers, emphasizing that the sun is not a deity, but rather subservient to Hashem, the God of truth and justice.
Sources:Prof. N. Sarna1
Centrality of the sun
The heavens proclaim Hashem's praise – The psalm opens by stating that the heavens praise Hashem to make it clear that the heavens, and all therein, are subservient to Hashem. They are not gods to be worshiped, but rather subjects of the only God, Hashem.
"לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ שָׂם אֹהֶל בָּהֶם" – The verse states that Hashem makes a tent for the sun, highlighting that it is under God's control and subject to His desires and demands..
"וְאֵין נִסְתָּר מֵחַמָּתוֹ" – Prof. Sarna understands "חַמָּתוֹ" to mean: "His sun," with the verse stressing that the sun belongs to God.
Allusions to pagan mythology – Prof. Sarna suggests that several of the images in the psalm were chosen to allude to pagan mythology:
- כְּחָתָן יֹצֵא מֵחֻפָּתוֹ –
"Like a mighty warrior"
Connection between the two halves
